Clock controlled cigarette case



NOV. 25, 1952 HANNA 2,618,956

CLOCK CONTROLLED CIGARETTE CASE Filed Aug. 6, 1951 Fig.4

Fran/r J. Hanna 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 25, 1952 OFFICE CLOCK CONTROLLED CIGARETTE CASE Frank J. Hanna, Douglas, Ga.

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a clock controlled cigarette case and particularly to a case having latching means with a time control for periodically unlatching the case. I

Cigarette smokers frequently develop the habit of unconsciously lighting up a new cigarette without regard to the length of time that has elapsed since the last cigarette or even without consuming the last cigarette. This frequently leads to the smoking of an undesirably large quantity of cigarettes, or the wasting of cigarettes by not smoking the ones which have been lighted. This invention provides a controlled cigarette case so that cigarettes can only be secured from the container at predetermined intervals. This is accomplished by providing a cigarette container in which there is a closure pivoted to one end of the container and a locking mechanism inside the container and controlled by a time controlled mechanism such as a clock which periodically opens the latch between the closure and the container so that the cigarettes may be available.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a cigarette case for periodically making available a cigarette.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved latching mechanism for a cigarette case.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved latch operating mechanism.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette container according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation through the cigarette container and taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view looking down on the latch mechanism and taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged View in section showing the operation of the lost motion mechanism and the telescoping, driving and latching device; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 2 indicating the mounting of the latching mechanism and the closure.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention a container Ii] adapted to contain a package Application August 6, 1951, Serial No. 240,501 I (01. wa ers) of cigarettes 12 is provided vwitha closure l4 hingedly connected at one edge thereof by means of a hinge rod Hireceived in hinge ears [8 and the closure l4 being biased to open position by means of a spring 20 embracing the .rod l6 and bearing on the sides of the container [0 and the underside of the closure 14. A latching mechanism generally indicated at 22 is mounted on the inside of the closure so as to be substantially inaccessible fromthe outside of the closure when the closure is in latched position. The latching mechanism 22 operates a latch 24 which engages a keeper 26 formed in the wall of the container Ill. The latch 24 is reciprocably mounted in a guide 28 in the outer casing 30 of the latch control mechanism 22. The latch and its guide are non-circular and are provided. with at least one flat side so that the latch 24 is firmly held against rotation in the guide passage 28 in the outer casing 30. The latch member 24 ,is provided with a longitudinal bore 32 into which extends the end of a driver having a pin 33 engaging a longitudinally extending slot 38 extending between the bore 32 and the outer surface of the latch 24. A spring 40 is placed in the bore 32 between the end of the driver 34 and the bottom 42 of the bore 32 so that the spring constantly urges the latch away from the end of the driver 34 while the pin 36 engages with the rear end slot 38 so that the movement rearwardly of the driver 34 will necessarily retract the latch 24. The slot 38 and the spring 40 permits a lost motion between the latch 24 and the driver 34 in that the latch 24 may telescope along the driver 34 until the pin 36 engages the front end of the slot 38. The cam surface 44 engages the surface of the case I0 and telescopes the latch 24 onto the driver 34 permitting it then to drop into the keeper 26 on the container and latch the closure into sealed relation with the container. The lost motion mechanism has a further use which will presently be explained.

The latch mechanism is driven by a clock motor 46 of well known construction and forming no part of this invention. A knob 48 may extend outside of the casing so that the clock mechanism may be wound from the exterior of the container. Th clock mechanism drives a Wheel 50 which is mounted on a subcasing 52 which may be adj ustably secured within the outer casing 30. The driver 34 is reciprocably mounted in the casing 52. A guide 54 together with the guide 28 mount the latch and its driver mechanism for straight reciprocating motion so that no sidewise motion can be permitted. The driver 34 is provided with a driving head 56 having a transverse slot 58 therein for engaging with the stud 60 on th actuating wheel 50.

In operation the clock mechanism 36 drives the actuating Wheel 50 so that the stud 60 rotates about the axis of the actuating wheel 50, the stud 60 being engaged in the slot 58 causes the driver 34 to reciprocate in the mounting 54 and in the telescoping portion of the latch 24 so that when the pin 36 contacts the rear of the slot 38 it will withdraw th latch 24 from the keeper 26 and permit the closure to be opened under the influence of the spring 20. The lost motion mechanism provided by the pin 36 moving longitudinally in the slot 38 permits the stud 60 to drive the driving mechanism 34 until at the utmost forward position the pin 36 wi1lengage the forward end of the latch 24 as clearly indicated in Figure 3. Th latch groove or slot 38 is of such length that the pin 36 will engage the rear end thereof as shown in Figure 4 prior to the time that the stud BH'has reached its maximum rearward motion. It will thus be seen that the stud '69 operating in the slot 58 will'start' to 'retractthe latch 24 prior to the time that the'stud'has'reached its'maximurn rearward motion and preferably it will have completely' released'its' stud prior to the extreme rearward motion of the stud 66.

While for purposes of illustration a specific embodimen't'of the invention has been disclosed and'described according to the best of the present' knowledge thereof, itis understood, that many changes and modifications can be made thereinwithout departing from the true'spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Havingdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A cigarette case comprising acontainer, a closure hingedly connectedto said container, a control'rnechanis'm including a latch mounted on said closure, said container having a keeper engaged by said latch, a driver telescopically engaging said latch, a spring interposed between said latch and said driver, said latch having a longitudinal slot therein, a pin on said driver received in said slot, a head on said driver, said head having a transverse slot therein,- an ac-' tuating wheel, a stud mounted on said wheel and received in said slot, means for rotating said wheel.

2; A cigarette case comprising a container, a closure hingedly connected to said container, a control mechanism including a latch mounted on said closure, said container having a keeper engaged by said latch, a driver telescopically engaging said latch, a spring interposed between said latch and said driver, said latch having a longitudinal slot therein, a pin on said driver receivedin said slot, a head on said driver, said head having a transverse slot therein, an ac tuating wheel, a stud mounted on said wheel and 'receivedin said slot, m'eans'for rotating said wheel, said latch beingprovided with fiat guiding surfaces to prevent'rotation thereof.

FRANK J. HANNA REFERENCES CITED The following references are-of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

